Hopkins leads Nuggets as they sweep past Lady Tigers

NEW ORLEANS — Reserve point guard Trana Hopkins scored 12 points Monday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana in a 70-57 women's basketball victory against Edward Waters.

The Gold Nuggets (13-11, 6-2 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) completed a two-game regular-season sweep of the Lady Tigers (14-10, 2-6). Hopkins scored in double figures for the third time this season — the first time since Dec. 30 — and led Xavier in scoring for the first time. She grabbed five rebounds, which matched her season high, and had two assists and a steal in 17 minutes.

Freshman Daylin Boatner scored 10 points for Xavier — her second double-figure game for the Gold Nuggets — and Donyeah Mayfield had nine points and 11 rebounds. Vinnie Briggs scored nine.

Kyeshia Dawkins scored 20 points for Edward Waters, and Amber Antoine and Alexis Grant scored 11 apiece.

Xavier trailed 21-12 but outscored the Lady Tigers 21-2 in the final 8:20 of the first half to take a 31-23 halftime lead. The Nuggets' Alesha Smith opened the second half with a 3-pointer, and Xavier led by double digits for all but 18 seconds thereafter. Boatner's two free throws with 3:49 remaining gave Xavier its largest lead, 63-45.

The Gold Nuggets shot 43.6 percent from the floor — their second-most-accurate game of the season — produced a season-high 19 assists and outrebounded Edward Waters 43-28. Xavier limited the Lady Tigers to 35.7 percent from the floor. Ten Nuggets had at least one assist, and all-star guard Whitney Gathright had a game-high five.

Xavier is 8-1 this season when it reaches 67 points and 10-2 when it allows fewer than 60. The Gold Nuggets avoided back-to-back GCAC home losses, which hasn't occurred since 2002, and improved their all-time record against Edward Waters to 11-0.

Xavier will continue its three-game GCAC home stand with a 5:30 p.m. Thursday matchup against Voorhees.

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Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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